Baked Ham Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche

Finding a crowd-pleasing dinner that works for busy weeknights and lazy weekends alike isn’t always easy. You want something hearty and satisfying that doesn’t require you to spend hours in the kitchen, and ideally it should be flexible enough to use up ingredients you already have in your fridge.

That’s exactly where this ham, cheddar and broccoli quiche comes in: it’s filling and flavorful, straightforward to put together even if you’re not an experienced baker, and completely customizable based on whatever vegetables, cheese, or proteins you need to use up.

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What Kind of Ham Should I Use?

For this quiche, you have plenty of options when it comes to ham. Leftover baked ham from a holiday dinner works great and is a fantastic way to use up what’s in your fridge. Deli ham is another solid choice – just grab a thick-cut variety and dice it up yourself, as it’ll have better texture than the pre-diced stuff. If you want something with a bit more flavor, smoked ham or even ham steak from the grocery store will add a nice depth to your quiche. Just make sure whatever ham you choose is already cooked, since it’s only going to warm through in the oven.

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Options for Substitutions

This quiche is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Ham: You can easily swap ham for cooked bacon, diced turkey, or even cooked sausage. If you want to go vegetarian, just leave it out and add more vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers.
• Broccoli: Not a broccoli fan? Try spinach, asparagus, or mushrooms instead. Just make sure to cook them briefly first to remove excess moisture.
• Cheddar cheese: Swiss, gruyere, or monterey jack all work great in quiche. You can also mix cheeses for more flavor.
• Half-and-half: Whole milk works fine if you don’t have half-and-half, though your quiche will be slightly less rich. You can also use a mix of milk and heavy cream.
• Pie shell: Store-bought is convenient, but homemade works too. You can also make this crustless by greasing your pie dish well – it’ll still taste great, just with fewer carbs.
• White pepper: Black pepper works just fine if you don’t have white pepper on hand. The flavor difference is minimal.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake people make with quiche is adding too much liquid filling, which prevents the eggs from setting properly and leaves you with a runny center – stick to the ratio in the recipe and your quiche will slice beautifully.

Another common error is skipping the step of sautéing the broccoli and onions before adding them to the quiche, as raw vegetables release water during baking and can make your filling watery.

To avoid a soggy bottom crust, try blind baking your pie shell for 10 minutes before adding the filling, and make sure to let the quiche cool for at least 15 minutes after baking so it has time to firm up.

If you notice the edges of your crust browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent burning while the center finishes cooking.

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What to Serve With Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche?

This quiche is hearty enough to be the star of the show, but a simple side salad really rounds out the meal. I like to toss together mixed greens with a light vinaigrette – something with lemon or champagne vinegar works great to cut through the richness of the eggs and cheese. Fresh fruit is another go-to option, especially a mix of berries or sliced melon, which adds a nice sweet contrast to the savory quiche. If you’re serving this for brunch, some crispy bacon or breakfast sausage on the side never hurts, and don’t forget a basket of croissants or buttery biscuits for anyone who wants a little extra something.

Storage Instructions

Store: This quiche keeps really well in the fridge, which makes it perfect for meal prep. Just cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store for up to 4 days. I love having slices ready to grab for a quick breakfast or lunch throughout the week.

Freeze: You can freeze the whole quiche or individual slices for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely first, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn. I like to slice it before freezing so I can just grab a piece whenever I need it.

Reheat: Warm up refrigerated slices in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes, or pop them in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. If reheating from frozen, thaw it in the fridge overnight first, or add a few extra minutes to the oven time.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1900-2100
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 130-145 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-105 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 9-inch pie shell (thawed if frozen, or use homemade)

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion (finely diced for even cooking)
• 1 cup broccoli florets (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1.5 cups diced ham (about 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp butter (unsalted)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use Cabot for this)

For the custard:

• 1 tsp white pepper (or black pepper if preferred)
• 2 cups half-and-half (or use heavy cream for richer texture)
• 4 eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Precook the Pie Shell

• 1 9-inch pie shell
• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1.5 cups diced ham

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

While it heats, prepare all your ingredients: dice the onion finely, cut broccoli into bite-sized florets, dice the ham into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, and measure out the cheese and half-and-half.

Once the oven reaches temperature, blind bake the pie shell (fill with pie weights or dried beans) for 40 minutes to prevent a soggy bottom.

This step is crucial for quiche—it ensures the crust stays crispy.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the broccoli.

Step 2: Cook Broccoli and Sauté Aromatics

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
• 1.5 cups diced ham
• 1 cup broccoli florets

While the pie shell bakes, add the broccoli florets to your boiling water and cook for just 1 minute—you want them bright green and slightly tender-crisp, not mushy.

Drain immediately and set aside.

In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the diced onion and ham.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and the ham is lightly warmed through.

This short sauté releases the ham’s savory flavors and softens the onion for even distribution throughout the quiche.

Step 3: Build the Filling Layers and Whisk the Custard

• pie shell from Step 1
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ham and onion mixture from Step 2
• broccoli florets from Step 2
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp white pepper

Remove the pie shell from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375°F.

Layer your fillings directly into the warm crust in this order: first the shredded cheddar cheese, then the sautéed ham and onion mixture from Step 2, and finally the blanched broccoli on top.

I like to distribute everything evenly so every bite has all three components.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, kosher salt, and white pepper until well combined and slightly frothy—this incorporates a bit of air for a more delicate, custardy texture.

Step 4: Pour Custard and Bake Until Golden

• custard mixture from Step 3

Carefully pour the egg and half-and-half mixture from Step 3 over the filled pie shell, pouring slowly and evenly so the fillings stay in place and the custard distributes uniformly.

Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is just set—it should have a slight jiggle in the very center when you gently shake the pan, which means it will be creamy rather than rubbery.

A knife inserted near the edge should come out clean, but the center can still be slightly soft since carryover heat will finish the cooking.

Step 5: Rest and Serve

Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

This resting period allows the custard to set up just enough so each slice holds together nicely without being tough.

Serve warm or at room temperature—this quiche is delicious either way.

Baked Ham Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche

Delicious Baked Ham Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings 6 slices

Calories 2000 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the crust:

• 1 9-inch pie shell (thawed if frozen, or use homemade)

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion (finely diced for even cooking)
• 1 cup broccoli florets (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1.5 cups diced ham (about 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 tbsp butter (unsalted)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use Cabot for this)

For the custard:

• 1 tsp white pepper (or black pepper if preferred)
• 2 cups half-and-half (or use heavy cream for richer texture)
• 4 eggs (room temperature for better mixing)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. While it heats, prepare all your ingredients: dice the onion finely, cut broccoli into bite-sized florets, dice the ham into roughly 1/2-inch pieces, and measure out the cheese and half-and-half. Once the oven reaches temperature, blind bake the pie shell (fill with pie weights or dried beans) for 40 minutes to prevent a soggy bottom. This step is crucial for quiche—it ensures the crust stays crispy. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the broccoli.
• While the pie shell bakes, add the broccoli florets to your boiling water and cook for just 1 minute—you want them bright green and slightly tender-crisp, not mushy. Drain immediately and set aside. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the diced onion and ham. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent and the ham is lightly warmed through. This short sauté releases the ham's savory flavors and softens the onion for even distribution throughout the quiche.
• Remove the pie shell from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Layer your fillings directly into the warm crust in this order: first the shredded cheddar cheese, then the sautéed ham and onion mixture from Step 2, and finally the blanched broccoli on top. I like to distribute everything evenly so every bite has all three components. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, kosher salt, and white pepper until well combined and slightly frothy—this incorporates a bit of air for a more delicate, custardy texture.
• Carefully pour the egg and half-and-half mixture from Step 3 over the filled pie shell, pouring slowly and evenly so the fillings stay in place and the custard distributes uniformly. Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is just set—it should have a slight jiggle in the very center when you gently shake the pan, which means it will be creamy rather than rubbery. A knife inserted near the edge should come out clean, but the center can still be slightly soft since carryover heat will finish the cooking.
• Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This resting period allows the custard to set up just enough so each slice holds together nicely without being tough. Serve warm or at room temperature—this quiche is delicious either way.